The present invention relates to a method for the production and application of a heating element for heating in vehicles, the heating element consisting of a heating wire defining at least one electric heating loop extending, in its operating position, in a predetermined pattern.
It is previously known to produce heating elements for vehicles constructed from an electrically conducting heating loop that is applied onto a layer of material. Conventional heating elements are produced as separate products intended to allow rough handling, for example retrofitting into existing vehicle seats. The heating element itself or the surrounding layers of material have had to function as a protective and carrying layer and have been given such a thickness that the heating elements have been noticeable to the user, due to stiffness as well as level differences in the seat around the edges of the element. Further, the increasing cost hunt on vehicle components has raised the demand for low manufacturing costs, with regard to material as well as mounting costs.
The object of the present invention is to provide a method for the production and application of a heating element for vehicles that solves the problems discussed above in such a way that for example vehicles can be equipped with heating elements at a very limited additional cost, enhancing the driving comfort.
Said object is achieved by means of a method characterised by the steps of:
positioning the heating wire onto at least one side of a temporary carrier,
applying an adhesive over said carrier, at least over those areas where the heating wire is lying on the carrier, and over the heating wire, causing the heating wire to adhere to the surface of the carrier,
transporting the carrier with the heating wire to a final substrate, which the heating element is to be in dose contact with,
pressing the heating wire against the substrate, heating the adhesive so as to make the wire adhere to the substrate, and
removing the carrier, so that the heating wire is released from the carrier and adheres to the substrate, to form the heating element for heating in the vehicle.